Tarik Skubal trade package on MLB Network headlined by former NY Mets prospect

Pretender or contender? When the English language was created, someone was smart enough to make them rhyming antonyms. The New York Mets are feeling more like pretenders than contenders these days. Less than two months left to declare something else, talks of other teams selling have already begun.

No one will be in more mock trades than Tarik Skubal. Jeff Passan already has him as a top target of nearly every contender. Although sidelined right now, the downfall of the Detroit Tigers this season has everyone wondering where they could sell him this summer. It definitely doesn’t feel like it’ll be the Mets.

Over at MLB Network, Lance Brozdowski assembled multiple trade packages for Skubal. The one sending him to the Milwaukee Brewers is headlined by ex-Mets prospect Jett Williams who, not long ago, was a guy we figured could get sent to Detroit to rent Skubal for a little while.

Jett Williams headlining a mock Tarik Skubal trade is a subtle reminder of where the Mets are right now

Because Skubal wasn’t traded anywhere this offseason, we can’t say the Mets should have added him over Freddy Peralta. At most, we can channel our inner Donnie Darko and follow a different timeline where they manage to pick up a guy who could very well become the highest paid free agent starting pitcher in the game’s history. In a more realistic sense, Williams’ name appearing makes it worth checking in on how far the Mets are from seeing Skubal in orange and blue this year.

Skubal has made only 7 starts this season and with a 2.70 ERA, there was enough reason to believe he could piece together a few gems to lower it closer to where it was the last two seasons.

Very much in the conversation for the Mets as a free agent, Skubal seems unlikely to become a summer trade target of the Mets for the simple fact they are much further than one starting pitcher away from winning a championship. David Stearns has been especially cautious about overselling in any trades, the priciest of all being the purchase of Peralta from the Brewers back in January.

In addition to where the Mets are in the standings, their farm system isn’t glistening brightly this year. We should be satisfied with the performance of Carson Benge in the majors. A.J. Ewing jumping up to the show this quickly and not being overly matched at all turns is another reminder of the club heading in the right direction. With no desire or logical reason to trade either of them, the Mets are left with some imperfect prospects they could possibly trade for summer help.

A trade package for Skubal or any other high-priced trade deadline target would cost at minimum a top 100 prospect, something the Mets currently lack in excess. The Mets have Ewing and Jonah Tong who qualify there and the latter hasn’t performed all that well this year in Triple-A to have the same trade value he did last year.

Skubal to the Brewers is sure to gain some steam with the team often renting, not buying star players. Their incredibly strong farm system and added youth already in the majors should have them swimming around him or any other big ticket items available at the deadline.

What could’ve been for the Mets is taking place in Milwaukee, at least in theory for now. With the number one prospect in the sport in Double-A for the Brewers already and playing shortstop, dealing Williams away seems to be a realistic expectation. If for Skubal, we’ll only be glad it’s out of the National League.

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